Use of iPads in General Assembly's future

Switch will save 17 tons of paper per session

INDIANAPOLIS - The General Assembly plans to launch a pilot program using iPads that could eventually lead lawmakers to save as much as 17 tons of paper in each of its annual sessions.

The bipartisan Indiana Legislative Council – an administrative arm of the General Assembly – voted unanimously Monday to move forward with a plan that will make the state one of 19 to work toward a paperless system.

A subcommittee studied the issue this summer and recommended:

The House and the Senate each assign one committee to test the iPads by receiving all documents and legislation electronically during the 2012 session.

The General Assembly create a custom webpage to provide information for those participating in the pilot.

Lawmakers with their own iPads and other tablet computers then be connected to the pilot program.

On Monday, staff from the Legislative Services Agency showed the council the iPad's capabilities, and the council agreed to pilots for both the House and Senate.

Currently, the legislature uses 17 tons of paper in a single legislative session, according to George Angelone, member of the LSA. The budget bill alone requires more than 133,000 pages, which equates to 16 trees, according to LSA.

The goal of moving toward iPads is to save paper as well as save money on printing costs. Using the iPads would limit the number of bills, amendments and reports printed because legislators could simply pull up any bill they wanted online.

The iPad also has a number of other abilities, said Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Ellettsville.

"One thing they haven't mentioned that I'm very excited about is Skype," referring to internet-based video chat and phone system, Simpson said. "We would have the technology to bring in expert testimony from all over the world."

LSA members also showed the council how the iPad could be used to view bills through a file sharing network that all legislators could access. The iPad also has an application called GoodReader that would allow legislators to make notes on their screens and then save them.

The program does have some bugs that will need to be worked out, officials said.

Angelone said that the wireless capabilities of the Statehouse would have to be beefed up and the state's website made more "touch friendly" before relying on iPads would be feasible.

He said the House and Senate could absorb the cost of the iPads into their current budgets.

Sen. Brandt Hershman, R-Buck Creek, who chaired the subcommittee that studied iPads, acknowledged there might also be a hiccup in printing.

"The iPads only print wirelessly, and not all printers here have wireless capability," Hershman said.

He said the problem could be solved through the regular upgrades to printers the Statehouse goes through.

LSA did not recommend eliminating paper immediately but said its use could be phased out over time as iPad use is phased in.